NEP Denali has installed a Calrec Argo Q console and ImPulse IP core in its remote production unit, doubling its audio capacity and preparing it for immersive and personalised formats.
NEP Denali's 53ft Gold remote production unit
NEP Denali in Alaska has doubled its audio capacity with the installation of a 144-fader Calrec Argo Q console and ImPulse IP core in its 53ft Gold remote production unit. With this installation, the NEP Denali team will be prepared to cater to a larger number of clients looking for immersive and personalised formats.
By doubling the number of available faders within the same compact space of the vehicle, the facility upgrade means that NEP Denali can keep up with new and changing requirements, and also simplify their existing workflows. It gives them an opportunity to develop relationships with a wider range of content providers and clients.
The new Argo Q mixing system interested NEP because it delivers a high level of flexibility that broadcast TV audio producers haven’t previously been able to access. The company is known for live coverage of entertainment shows such as America's Got Talent and American Idol as well as major award shows including the Academy Awards, the Emmys and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).
Operator Experience
"Entertainment is all about the operator experience. The audio control room is very similar to a recording studio environment," said James Mullen, Audio Guarantee for live and taped events with NEP Denali. "Many entertainment productions require the A1, the main audio engineer, to mix the audio coming from multiple stages, in addition to normal production audio and playback elements.”
When entertainment shows, like the Academy Awards night, feature several different live performances at various points in the broadcast, the mix engineer may be expected to mix each band as a separate sub mix – only sometimes will they receive a ready-to-go feed from a front of house mixer. Building a complete mix for a full band can be complex with numerous mic inputs – for example, multiple mics just for a drum kit, in addition to guitar, bass, keys, brass, percussion, vocals and any other instruments – plus the audience mix for atmosphere.
“Further to this, other requirements such as inputs from remote production mean the audio team needs to receive and monitor many incoming and outgoing signals. The Argo Q console's fader count and corresponding metering mean this level of complexity can be managed," James said.
The playback elements he mentioned are non-live audio inputs that are to be mixed as part of the broadcast. Examples might be pre-recorded interviews or speeches from relevant people, clips of other, earlier programmes, or special, purpose-recorded content, produced in advance for the show. These element can also include sound effect stings and ambient audio beds that are played as part of a live broadcast to add tension and drama, like a drum roll or background music.
Keeping Up
NEP Denali has gained a high level of engineering expertise since its formation in 2000, operating a fleet of six mobile units designed exclusively for the live entertainment industry. Its Gold remote vehicle is one of two original NEP Denali trucks. James commented that the recently upgraded audio system in the truck preserves the legacy of Gold's heritage and gives Denali the ability to quickly adapt to the new style of show as they grow more demanding.
"The previous audio system had become a problem,” he said. “We started to encounter many tasks we just couldn't do that are inherently simple on the Argo Q. Things like producing individual tone breaks for transmission and reconfiguring bus widths are very simple on a Calrec. It enables us to keep up with the current trends of supplying multiple mixes to accommodate main and international 5.1 programs, as well as streaming in immersive and descriptive audio formats for people with visual impairments. Overall, it is an agile, flexible platform with features to keep the technology out of the way of the art.”
Meeting Standards
Regarding complex, live environments like these that NEP works in, Calrec’s Director of Product Management Henry Goodman identified some good practices to be aware of. “In particular, before the start of any programme, it’s worthwhile to ensure the audio output levels from the console are correct and meet with transmission standards,” he said.
“To do this, tone generated on the audio mixer is sent on the audio outputs to the transmission area to verify the levels. Obviously, since this can’t be done during the live show, it does require a break in transmission because changing the width of an output bus requires the A1 operator to do a level or line up check.”
On an audio console, buses are where the mixing happens, and serve as collection points where signals from different channels are routed to and mixed together. The demands of live broadcast production calls for a large range of buses for different people and purposes.
Typically, broadcast consoles use Mains, Groups, Auxiliary Sends, Tracks and Mix Minus mix buses, covering everything from the main output for transmission to simplified mix-minus outputs for in-ear monitoring feeds. Because they can be used to transport audio in different formats, the bus widths often need to be reconfigured.
For instance, a mono signal requires one channel, a stereo signal needs two and a 5.1 mix supports six channels. Immersive configurations require even more, such as Dolby Atmos 5.1.4, which uses 10 channels to account for the four ceiling speakers, and a 7.1.4 configuration, using 12. The processing paths need to adapt to account for all the signals.
Immersive Content and Personalisation
Henry said, “Immersive formats like 7.1.4 are increasingly becoming the standard output format for big live events. Many big-ticket sports events like the Summer Games are now broadcast in 7.1.4 by default, with a downmix to stereo for viewers who are listening in stereo. They are more complex to create and need many more channels of DSP (digital signal processing) to create them, which makes consoles like Argo, with the necessary features and DSP capacity, very useful.
Argo Q installed in the Gold production unit.
“More broadcasters are also looking into personalisation, which requires managing even more audio signals to enable viewers to control what they hear. For example, in the future they may have the option to listen to an English, Spanish or Italian commentary. While this is not yet in widespread use, tests over the last few years find it is achievable via the Serial Audio Definition Model. This too will require more management and more channels – again, consoles like Argo that have sufficient capacity can help broadcasters move comfortably into the future.”
Configuring the Future for Audio
As James sees it, the configurable nature of the Argo surface, the custom wild panels for setting up operator-defined controls, and fader option keys, combined with its huge horsepower, means it stands alone in the broadcast audio field. “One of our favourite features is the remote access the A1 has to the surface before the show loads in. They can program their show on the system from any location, whether that is at home, a hotel or on a plane."
The truck was recently used at February's SAG Awards in Los Angeles, exclusively broadcast on the Netflix platform for the second year running.
Calrec US Regional Sales Manager Helen Carr commented on the number of streaming platforms picking up entertainment events from traditional over-the-air broadcasters. "The implications for audio are significant. Companies like NEP Denali need to accommodate whatever formats are required, whether it be traditional stereo, Dolby Atmos, or descriptive audio. Calrec's Argo makes this easier and helps broadcast suppliers adapt to these new ways of working." calrec.com
